Every year around the world over a thousand film festivals, take place. However, there is only one Cannes. This year for the 59th time crowds of filmmakers, producers, distributors and ordinary film lovers flocked the French Riviera. Over 4,000 journalists and photo reporters came to the scene. Next to the Olympic Games, it represents the largest gathering of press, radio, and television people. Over 50,000 people over night transformed the atmosphere of the famous French city on the French Riviera into a full of fantastic energy unreal world. The world of film.

Since the beginning its existence, Cannes teases with its magnet of world's latest premiers. There is always room for artistic as well as commercial cinema. Hundreds of celebrities. Together with the fairs, thousands of films. Millions of dollars spent on lavish parties. The value of the contracts signed for future productions are now counted in billions. The seaside boulevard Croisette for a stretch of few miles is covered with billboards and posters endorsing various films. Next to each other, we can see titles from America, Korea, and Kazakhstan. Even though hotel prices go up by 100%, there are no chances of finding any available rooms, even in the suburbs. The film frenzy last around the clock for 12 days.

The films taking part in the contest always draw most attention. The organizers carefully select around 20 films in such a way not to leave any one out. Among the selected titles are usually three or four French films and just the same umber of American productions. It is obvious that they cause most interest among the journalists. There is also room for the recently trendy Asian cinematography as well as for the Italians, British, and Spanish. Others have more difficulties to breakthrough, but the festival is also known to search and promote new talents.

This year's set, even prior to the first show was quite impressive. The first fiddle was supposed to be played by "Volver", a family drama by the brilliant Spanish director, Pedro Almodovar; "Babel", a complex tale about the problems of the modern world by a Mexican, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu; as well as biographical film costume "Marie Antoinette", filmed by the bright American, Sofia Coppola (Francis Ford Coppola's daughter).

"Volver" and "Babel" certainly did not fail the expectations. Pedro Almodovar openly admits his homosexuality, and unlike most men is able to explore women's soul. "Volver" (translated as: "to return") describes family fates of three generations of women, who share a link of tragedy which for the most part are caused by men. Seemingly straightforward cinema (Almodovar is known for his graphic excesses on film), but very subtle and emotional in its expression. Excellent performance by Penelope Cruz, who once again demonstrated that she feels much better in Spanish-speaking films than in American. The jury chaired by the Chinese director Wong Kar-Waia appreciated every actress in the film, granting them with a group award. They distinguished Almodovar for best script, although many observers anticipated the Golden Palm award.

"Babel" also "had" to win something. It is a third movie in Alejandro Gonzalez's short career following "Amores Perros" and "21 grams". The Mexican author wonderfully juggles with time, space and characters, creating a cohesive mosaic of people's fate and philosophy. "Babel" is simultaneously set in the United States, Mexico, Morocco, and Japan. A particular situation resulting from human carelessness- child playing with a gun- leads to a tragedy, which eventually influences the lives of many people in different parts of the world. Subject of "global village" is certainly not new, but Inarritu puts a fresh meaning into it. Terrorism and illegal immigration are after all current headlines of newspapers. Among the international cast of actors the film features Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. The Cannes' paparazzi were clearly disappointed that despite earlier announcements Pitt did not make it to the French Riviera. The popular actor had sent an official letter of apology explaining that he and his wife are expecting a birth of their baby. The explanation of his absence was accepted. The jury decided to award the film for the best director.

The case of "Marie Antoinette" seems a bit more complicated. Following the success of "Lost in Translation", Sofia Coppola accepted a much bigger challenge of a high budged costume film. The question is how to accomplish such daring project so that it will not be cheese? Coppola decided to illustrate the story of a controversial French queen Maria Antonina as. a perplexed teenager. Indeed, the successive queen was only 14 years old, when she was forced to leave her home in Austria. Indeed, her day-to-day life in the Palace was full of lavishness, but also restrictions. Her every step was monitored by court's rigorous etiquette. Obviously, every young girl likes to dance or go shopping. quite crazy idea of assigning the character with traits of a modern teenager, works only to some extent. Elements of modern music skillfully blend into the historical background; however, the audience is exhausted after watching sequences of monotonous existence of the characters. Coppola's film did not win any awards.

The front-runners to for the Golden Palm were reconciled by the British director Ken Loach, who specializes in social-political cinema. "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" depicts a story inscribed in the Irish-British war during the 20's of the previous century. The conflict between the occupant and the confined country develops into a full-blown fratricidal battle among the Irish. The film was made in a traditional style, which makes it moving as well as thought provoking in terms of today's national conflicts. The second award of the Grand Prix du Jury in terms of importance surprisingly went to a French director Bruno Dumont. His film "Flanders" an ascetic modern drama is about army recruits drawn from a poor, country region of France.

Similarly, to the ladies, the male award was also granted for the whole group of actors. It was collected by the actors of the film "Days of Glory". It is a story of the heroism of the Arab soldiers fighting for the French army during World War II. It is good cinema, not only a reminiscent of the forgotten episode from the past, but indirectly reflecting the current racial tensions in France. In turn, the Golden Camera for the best debut went to Corneliu Porumboiu, a Romanian author of the political drama depicting the fall down of the Nicolae Ceausescu government, "12:0, East of Bucharest".

As far as the festival is a blend of commerce and art, it is the premieres outside the contest that are essentially organized in order to expose the popular cinema. Clearly, it is all about the celebrities. For that very reason, the world's premier of "The da Vinci Code" was presented at the festival's inauguration gala. Although the critics have just about unanimously ridiculed the film, the presence of Tom Hanks, director Ron Howard and the local favorite Audrey Tautou resulted that the next day the whole world was talking about not only about the film itself, but about the whole festival. Similar role was played by "X-Men: The Last Stand". All the actors taking part in the movie came to its blasting premiere along with Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman. Besides, this year's selection of the jury suggested attracting the attention of photo reporters. Otherwise, the jury would not consist of as many as three beautiful actresses, Monica Bellucci, Helena Bonham-Carter and Ziyi Zhang, as well as Samuel Jackson and Tim Roth? Their presence at many official and nonofficial parties always guarantees a dose of necessary splendor. The variety of celebrities who market their presence during the Cannes festival was not just impressive but surprising. Gerard Depardieu, Paris Hilton, the former vice-president Al Gore and French soccer player Eric Cantona are figures from completely different worlds. The largest nightly parties were taking place in numerous restaurants by the beach, but the biggest one of them all was after the premier of "Maria Antoinette" that was wrapped up by a stunning show of fireworks. The more intimate - and more exclusive- parties were held daily at the suburban villas and elegant yachts.

This year Cannes featured much more Polish accents than usually. For the first time in ten years Polish film - two of them - were among festival's guest list. In the category of Un Certain Regard (a different look) Slawomir Fabicki's debut film entitled "second hand" was presented. This young producer is known by the international audience, for his Oscar nomination for the short film "Man's business". The film "second hand" tells a story of a young man from southern Poland who falls in love with an older Ukrainian woman, an illegal immigrant, and a mother of a 12-year-old son. The film presents images of poor Poland, where harsh realities of unemployment and crime limit people's development. The family drama is presented in a concrete and bitter way. Fabicki's film was recognized and awarded by the Ecumenical Jury. Jury's decision was justified by the fact that "second hand" reveals that in a society where power of money and violence appear to be attractive, happiness an only be achieved by other means. When the hero losses everything he possessed except for his dignity, he finds the courage by risking his life to find the ones who love him. Upon receiving his diploma, the overjoyed director announced that this award is exceptionally important, for the most part, since the jury appreciated exactly what he had intended to point out by the film. Among others who shared his success was the performer of the main character Antoi Pawlicki and the operator Bogumil Godfrejow. The film will be coming soon to theaters in France, Switzerland and Belgium. The Polish premier will be in fall, after the film festival in Gdynia.

The second Polish feature at the festival contest was "A boy on a galloping horse" directed by Adam Guzinski. This is yet another debut of the young director who eight years ago won the first student's award Cinefondation for the etude called "Jakub". The black and white picture "A boy on a galloping horse" illustrates an intimate life of a writer faced with family tragedy. After the show, audience's reactions were quite mixed. Although, the film's presents on the Cannes festival is undoubtedly a positive step in the carrier of this young director.

The producer of both films presented in Cannes is Piotr Dzieciol, owner of a private studio in Lodz, Opus Film. For many years, the company had specialized in making television commercials. Their first film feature was called "Edi", it proved to be a success at the box office, and since then the company has been supporting young and talented directors. In a very short period, their efforts bared its fruits. Piotr Dzieciol has recently been recognized as on of the "Producers on the move" by the European Film Promotion organization. This distinction should certainly help him in preparing planned international co productions.

Representatives of the Polish cinema in Cannes primarily concentrated around fair pavilion along with their geographical neighbors from Slovakia and The Czech Republic. Visitors could get information about the latest Polish films and the possibility of making films on the country's territory. Over 400 guests from around the world were present at the party organized by the Polish Institute of Film Art and Polish TV. It is difficult to estimate real advantages of this year's meetings, but it is clear that everyone is striving for money earned from production and distribution. The ones who decide not to come here are left behind from the start. In any case the pavilion' activity ended with a small scandal. The representatives of the Czech Republic pretentiously shut down their stand the day after the Czech Parliament had filed to outvote president's veto regarding the bill to finance cinematography. "This is the death of Czech cinema" said the posters in the windows of the pavilion.

Besides, there were many more controversies. The Chinese director Lou Ye, who presented his latest film "Summer Palace" without the consent of Peking's censors, is now faced with paying high fine and may be even banned from work for the next five years. Nevertheless even, he will likely benefit from the many contacts made during the festival. The wheel of film fortune goes round. It is a very well known fact by those who have anything to do with making movies. Many of them already today eagerly anticipate next Cannes holiday of cinema. Next year as usual in May.